5R110W Clutch Drum 2005

If your 2005 F-250, F-350 or Excursion with the 5R110W TorqShift is slipping in one or two gears, flaring on a shift, or came back from a rebuild with a pack that will not hold, the drum that carries that clutch pack is one of the first hard parts to put on the bench. This listing is a remanufactured 5R110W clutch drum for the 2005 model year, and the photo shows it with a set of friction and steel plates and its large retaining ring, which is how it should be checked against the drum you pull out.

What the clutch drum does in a 5R110W

The 5R110W is a heavily reworked 4R100 with a completely different control strategy. There are no shift valves in the solenoid body. Each clutch except the forward clutch has its own variable force solenoid commanding apply pressure directly: SSPC-A runs the coast clutch, SSPC-B the overdrive clutch, SSPC-C the intermediate clutch, SSPC-D the direct clutch and SSPC-E the low/reverse clutch. A drum houses the piston for one of those packs and holds the plates in its splines. Fluid fed through the sealing rings pushes the piston, the pack clamps, and the drum carries torque to the gear set. If the piston bore, ring lands or bushing are worn, pressure leaks off before it ever reaches the plates, and no amount of solenoid current fixes that.

Symptoms of a worn 5R110W drum

• Slip or flare in the specific shifts that drum's clutch is part of, often worst when the fluid is hot
• A 3-5 flare, or a flare followed by a bang, on trucks where the direct clutch pack is cooked
• Metal or burnt friction material in the pan and on the magnet
• Friction element apply-time codes (the P2700 to P2704 group) or gear ratio errors with no electrical fault found
• No engagement, or a pack that burns again shortly after an overhaul because the drum itself was reused

How to confirm the drum is the problem

Before buying hard parts, rule out the hydraulics. On these trucks the PCM raises line pressure to about 175 psi during every shift, and an ATRA case study on a 2006 F-350 6.0L found a reported 2-3 slip was really a 3-5 fault caused by an aftermarket pressure kit and wrong clutches, not a bad drum. Record PIDs on a road test, put a gauge on the line pressure port, and check solenoid resistance. Our 5R110 shift solenoid testing guide covers that side. Once the unit is apart, air-check each circuit: a drum that leaks air at the piston or ring lands, has scored ring grooves, a loose bushing or cracked spline fingers needs replacing.

Fitment for 2005

This drum is listed for the 2005 5R110W, which covers 2005 F-250 through F-550 Super Duty and the 2005 Excursion, the last year that truck was built. By 2005 Ford had already deleted the solenoid body pressure switches, and the unit still used the early external bypass cooler filter that was dropped from 2008. Ford also released a front planetary package, 5C3Z-7A398SA, for 2005, so if you are replacing a front planet at the same time, make sure the parts you are matching are from the same revision. Because Ford made running changes, compare the drum height, spline count, piston and ring lands with your original, or send us your year and VIN before ordering. Need a different year? See the 2005-2007 clutch drum or browse every part on the 5R110W collection page.

Install notes

• Install new piston seals and sealing rings, and lube the rings with assembly gel so they do not cut on the way into the bore.
• Air-check the piston before the drum goes back into the case, and set the pack clearance to the factory spec in the ATSG 5R110W manual.
• Do not reuse burnt frictions in a fresh drum. A full 2005-2007 overhaul kit gives you the plates and seals for every pack.
• While the case is open, fit a stronger low/reverse retaining ring; the stock ring is known to walk out of its groove and damage the case lugs.
• Refill with Motorcraft Mercon SP ATF only, then check level hot with the engine running.

For the full list of wear points to check on the same teardown, read our 5R110 rebuild guide.

Will this drum fit my 2005 F-350 6.0L?

It is listed for 2005 5R110W units, which were used in the 2005 F-250 to F-550 Super Duty and the 2005 Excursion. Compare it side by side with your original drum, or send us the year and VIN and we will confirm before it ships.

Which clutch pack does this drum carry?

The listing identifies it as a 5R110W clutch drum and the photo shows it with its frictions, steels and retaining ring. Match the spline pattern, height and piston to the drum you removed, because the 5R110W uses more than one drum.

Can a bad solenoid look like a bad drum?

Yes. Every clutch in this unit except the forward clutch is applied by its own solenoid, so a weak solenoid causes the same slip or flare as a leaking drum. Check solenoid resistance and line pressure before you pull the transmission.

What should I replace with the drum?

Use new frictions, steels, piston seals and sealing rings for that pack, and a new filter. If the transmission is already apart, a full overhaul kit and an upgraded low/reverse retaining ring make sense.

What fluid does the 5R110W use?

Motorcraft Mercon SP. Using the wrong fluid was one of the causes found in the ATRA case study where a direct clutch kept flaring.

• 5R110 TorqShift Rebuild Guide: Known Wear Points and Upgrades
• 5R110 TorqShift Shift Solenoid Symptoms, Testing and Replacement
• Ford 5R110 TorqShift Service Guide: What Every Super Duty Tech Needs to Know